Piano-player.



No. 769,852. PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904 G. WARREN.

PIANO PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 81 1904. NO MODEL =1 a I ITorLZZn UNITED STATESPatented September 13, 1904.

ATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES IVARREN. OF GUELPH, CANADA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN MENTS, TOARTIST PIANO PLAYER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

PIANO-PLAYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,852, datedSeptember 13, 1904.

Application filed February 8, 1904. Serial No. 192,616. (No model!) Toall whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLEs WARREN, of the city of Guelph, in the countyof VVellington, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Piano-Players, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in piano-players; and the object ofthe invention is to provide a simple means whereby pianissimo orfortissimo changes may be produced independent of either the treble orbass of the piano, or in both together, whereby space may be economizedin the operative parts by which such effects are produced, and wherebythe operation of exhausting may be performed more quickly, andconsequently the effects produced more quickly; and it consists,essentially, of two separate exhaust-reservoirs located one toward eachend underneath the pneumatic chamber and independent exhausters eachseparately attached to its own exhaust-reservoir and connected by a rodto its pedal, the parts being otherwise con- 2 5 structed and arrangedin detail as hereinafter more particularly explained.

Figure l is a perspective view of the main portion of the frame of apiano-player, the outer portion of the casing being removed to exhibitthe interior construction. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through theparts involved in my invention.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in each figure.

A is the pneumatic-chamber, which is preferably divided by partitions aa into two portions, and B and B are the trunks leading to each portion.In the horizontal portion of the trunks B and B, I provide the orifices7) 4 and 7), which are controlled by the slidevalves 2 and 3, connectedby the bars 2 and 3 to the bell-cranks 4 and 5, journaled in the bracket0 on the bottom board C. The ends of the bell-cranks 4 and 5 haveconnected to them the push-plungers I and 5, the tops of which areprovided with the usual stop-heads and are situated in front of thetracker-board, as indicated.

D and D are exhaust-reservoirs provided with the usual expansion-springs(Z and d and valves (Z and d The exhaust-reservoirs D and I) are locatedone at each side of the playcr underneath the board and are connectedtogether by a small by-pass 6.

E and E are the exhausters, which are provided with the usualflap-valves and e and the springs c and 6 The ends of the exhausters Eare connected by the rods 7 7 to the pedals 8 and 8, respectively.

It will be seen by the construction that I have described that Ieconomize a great deal of space by dispensing with the ordinary largereservoir, and, further, each pedal has its controlling power for boththe bass and treble ends of the player.

I make a division in the pneumatic-chamber at any given point, as at aa. By this it is evident if I wish to produce fortissimo at the base ortreble ends, or conversely, it can be produced by the pedals, and thisis further accelerated by employing two exhaust-trunks B and B, ashereinbefore described, each being provided with a separate cut-offvalve controlled as described to give a variable exhaust as required bythe operator. I also have provided, as hereinbefore described, theby-pass 6 between the two reservoirs D and D, and by this I am enabledto produce a partial vacuum for either base or treble, as desired.

It will thus be seen that I have provided perfect control over thepneumatic-chambers, and consequently the pneumatics, and am enabled toproduce effects which have heretofore been impossible in piano-playersof this description.

I/Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. In a piano-player, the combinationwith a divided pneumatic-chamber, of the independent trunks connectedthereto and having orifices, suitable controlling-valves for theoritices, and independent exhaust-reservoirs communicating with eachtrunk, and exhausters for each reservoir, and means for operating theexhausters as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a piano-player, the combination with a divided pneumatic-chamber,of the independent trunks connected thereto and having orifices,suitable controlling-valves for the orifices, and independentexhaust-reservoirs communicating with each trunk, and exhausters foreach reservoir, the pedals, the rods connecting the ends of theexhausters to the ends of the pedals as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a piano-player, the combination with a divided pneumatic-chamber,of theindependent trunksconnected thereto and having orifices, suitablecontrolling-valves for the orifices, and independent exhaust-reservoirscommunicating with each trunk, and exhausters for each reservoir, meansfor operating the exhausters, and a by-pass extending between theexhaust-reservoirs as and for the purpose specified.

4:. In a piano-player, the combination with a divided pneumatic-chamber,of the independent trunks connected thereto and having orifices,suitable controlling-valves for the orifices, rods connected to thevalves above the bellows-board, bars connected to the ends of the rodsabove the bellows-board, bell-cranks connected at one end to the ends ofthe bars and push-plungers connected to the other ends of thebell-cranks and extending up through the tracker-board frame as and forthe purpose specified.

5. The combination with a pneumatic-chamber having a divisionalpartition and the trunks L shape in form and provided with orifices,valves to control such orifices, the bellows-board extending underneaththe trunks and provided with an orifice communicating with the orificein the trunks, the independent exhaust-reservoirs provided with suitablevalves and independent exhausters located directly underneath theexhaust-reservoirs and means for operating the exhausters as and for thepurpose specified.

CHARLES WARREN.

Witnesses:

M. L. TRIBE, E. M. RYDE.

